LOSS PREVENTION ( RETAIL SECURITY ) DEFINITION OF RETAIL SECURITY (LOSS PREVENTION)

Loss prevention is a form of private investigation into larceny/theft. The focus of such investigations generally includes shoplifting, embezzlement, credit fraud, and check fraud. Loss prevention or "LP" is a term used to describe a number of methods used to reduce the amount of all losses and shrinkage often related to retail trade.

The objective is to maximize profits through reducing shrinkage. According to the 2001 National Retail Security Survey, conducted by the University of Florida, retail operations suffered an average annual shrinkage percentage of 1.75% in 2000. Although most retailers experience a shrinkage percentage of less than 2% some smaller retailers often experience monthly and annual average shrinkage percentages as high as 20%. According a study by the National Retail Security Survey 30.6% of shrinkage comes from shoplifting, 46% from employee embezzlement, 17.6% from administrative error, and 5.8% from vendor fraud.

Because of the inherent need for companies to reduce operational costs, there is an ever-present need for experienced Retail Security Services or loss prevention services (LP professionals), particularly in the retail security sector. Some colleges like Sonoma Community College in California and Eastern Kentucky even offer degree programs in retail security related industries such as loss prevention. Recently several associations such as the Retail Industry Leaders Association are offering new educational certification programs specifically for Loss Prevention and other retail security related services. Among larger retailers there has been a recent trend to include worker and customer safety programs into the traditional Loss Prevention security job structure.

Shoplifting

Shoplifting is one of the most common property security related crimes in the United States today. Anyone can be a shoplifter, an important fact for loss prevention investigators to understand. Those who focus on stereotypes such as race and age generally have a difficult time detecting shoplifting. Statistically, shoplifting occurs at approximately the same rate each day of the week and December is the only month where it appears convenience stores suffer appreciably increased losses. The twelve to seventeen-year-old age group is statistically the most active shoplifting group in relationship to its size, followed by the eighteen to twenty-nine age group.

According to the 2004 17th Annual Retail Theft survey conducted by Jack L. Hayes International, 689,340 were shoplifters were apprehended by 27 of the major U.S. retailers. This figure was a 4.86% increase from total of 657,414 shoplifters apprehended in 2003. In 2004, $70,039,564 dollars were recovered from shoplifting apprehensions compared to $68,927,833 in 2003. In 2004, the average dollar value for a shoplifting apprehension was $101.60 dollars.

Most amateur retail shoplifters tend to spend too much time selecting retail merchandise and looking for private investigators, private detectives or retail detectives, thus making them much more likely to be detected. Professional shoplifters on the other hand tend to already know what merchandise they wish to steal and move quickly to get it. A common technique used by professional shoplifters is called a "grab and run", in which the shoplifter quickly enters the store, grabs an item, and runs out of the store. Due to the quickness of this technique, professional shoplifters are difficult to catch by the security guard personnel or loss prevention officers.

Loss Prevention departments are run very differently from retailer to retailer. Centralized Loss Prevention departments are generally more common with discount retailers. Some retailers use a centralized command system in which there are floor people, a department manager, and a district manager. Decentralized Loss Prevention Departments and security guard depatments are more common in clothing retailers. Other retailers for instance, have decentralized loss prevention departments and security guard departments in which there are usually only store investigators and store detectives and sometimes off-duty police officers to assist in the arrest of shoplifters.

Attitudes towards shoplifting have shifted greatly in the last two decades. Retailers now want their investigators to focus more on prevention of theft rather than apprehension of shoplifting suspects. This is a result of numerous false arrest charges over the last two decades that have cost retailers millions of dollars in lawsuits. A false arrest is generally known in the Loss Prevention service world as a "bad stop". A bad stop generally occurs when an investigator, a store detective or a retail detective arrests a suspect who turns out not to have any merchandise.

To combat bad stops retailers have introduced a series of steps designed to help establish probable cause. The number of steps vary from company to company but are usually in some semblance of the following:

• The store investigator must see the suspect enter an area or department with no merchandise in their possession.
• The store investigator must see the suspect select the store's merchandise.
• The store investigator must see the suspect conceal the store's merchandise.
• The store investigator must maintain constant surveillance of the suspect and be certain the store merchandise is not discarded.
• The suspect must pass all reasonable points of sale with the merchandise before conducting an apprehension.

Shoplifting incidents rarely go according to the five steps listed above. Retail investigators must use their best judgment when establishing probable cause. Most retailers today have established certification programs that a Loss Prevention employee must pass before they can make arrests. Usually these programs consist of a buddy system, which pairs a new store investigator with an experienced store investigator. These programs usually last for several months.

One method of bypassing steps is commonly employed is establishing the selection of merchandise. This is usually done by noting what a suspect had when first observed. If seen later with several items they did not have before, it may be reasonable to assume that the merchandise belongs to the retailer. Many feel strongly that good judgment is key to making successful apprehensions by the store detectives or the security guards. At times not all conditions can or will be feasibly met to make an apprehension. However it is still possible to prevent the loss.

Some retail investigators or store security guards have been known to attempt forms of consent searches in an attempt to obtain probable cause without legally detaining a person. It may be explained to the customer "we need to check your receipt to be certain you were not double charged." or some other reason. However such techniques, while not false arrest may still result in the firing of an Loss Prevention Investigator or a store detective or a security guard / security officer if it is a violation of company policy. Others feel all steps must be met before any action is taken. This second approach is used to protect the company from law suits resulting from "bad stops" from a store detective or a security guard officer which insult innocent shoppers. The exact definition of a "bad stop" varies from business to business, it is generally understood as false arrest in the security guard and loss prevention industry.

The strict adherence to the rules of apprehension from store detective or security guards have also come about as some criminals try to defraud the loss prevention industry by "egging on" or pretending to steal as a way to get Loss Prevention officers' attention while others in the store really are stealing or simply to get themselves arrested falsely for use in suing the company. Some companies have taken a "hands off" policy to detaining shoplifters due to past law suits.

Embezzlement

Employee embezzlement is the theft or taking of property or funds entrusted to an employee by an employer. The most common type of retail embezzlement is cash theft. Other types of employee embezzlement include ringing up fake gift cards, passing merchandise, discount fraud, and of course theft of merchandise. Embezzlement investigations are widely known in the Loss Prevention and store security industry as internal investigations.

According to the 2004 17th Annual Retail Theft survey 63,289 employees were apprehended for dishonest activity. This figure is an increase of 4.01% or 60,850 employees in 2003. Retailers recovered $42,468,681 dollars from incidents stemming from employee dishonesty in 2004, an increase from the 2003 figure of $40,025,937. The average case value for an apprehended dishonest employee in 2004 was $671.03. This figure is notable, since it is almost seven times more than the case value for the average shoplifter apprehension.

Employee embezzlement is usually handled by experienced store investigators and store security guards working undercover who generally have five or more years experience in the loss prevention and or retail security industry. Cash theft is generally investigated using cash office audits that appear on exception reports and CCTV cameras. Fake gift cards are usually investigated through the use of an electronic journal in which the gift cards are logged.

The passing of merchandise is usually discovered through the use of an exception reports in which a particular employee is shown to have an unusual amount of voids or no-sales. Generally merchandise is rung up by an employee and subsequently voided out. The merchandise is then passed to a person at the counter who usually is a friend or family member of the employee.

Other forms of employee theft that are discovered via the use of exceptions reports are discount and commission fraud. Discount fraud is usually discovered again by the use of exception reports. Discount fraud is the fraudulent use of an employee's discount to reduce to the price of merchandise for someone who is not eligible for it. Generally this is done by an employee passing their discount card to a friend so they can receive the employee discount. Commission fraud is usually accomplished by ringing large return purchases back to another employee or to an employee who has recently left the retail establishment.

Merchandise theft is often investigated by the store detectives or the retail detectives through the use of CCTV security cameras, video surveillance systems, DVR surveillance systems, internet surveillance, undercover operations, private detectives, investigator observations, and rumors floating around the store. Usually the items stolen by employees tend to be small items with high dollar value or edible. A particular high area of employee theft that is investigated using CCTV or video surveillance systems is often the stock rooms of a store. As a result Loss Prevention or undercover security services often tours the stock rooms looking for "stashes" or out of place merchandise as well as price tags or other areas of opportunity. Typically a covert CCTV camera (hidden surveillance cameras) is placed in the areas of high opportunity for theft.

A recent trend with larger retailers is to actively pursue prosecution against employees who are embezzling. Generally this is because employee embezzlement cases usually carry a far higher case value than shoplifters and in most jurisdictions embezzlement is codified as a felony offense. At times this can lead to lengthy security related investigations that can last for months. Even still particularly in small dollar cases many retailers still subscribe to the theory that they will never recover their losses and release an employee suspected of embezzlement outright.

Credit Card Theft

Typically stolen credit cards find their way into retail stores as much as or more than online retail websites. This is usually for several reasons: the first is because retailers generally have relaxed their procedures for checking credit cards, so time spent at the cash register can be hastened. Second is the anonymity that a credit card thief enjoys by purchasing merchandise first-hand and not having to leave an address for merchandise to be mailed to as would be required by an online retailer.

Credit card theft is generally investigated by loss prevention personnel, retail store detectives, undercover security guards or security officers who receive a tip from a local police investigator who is investigating a stolen card. Typically the use of a stolen card can be easily found using the store's electronic journal log. Using the electronic journal log, loss prevention investigators or loss prevention officers can locate the register where the stolen credit card was used. Sometimes CCTV video surveillance of the transaction exists and can be used by the police to establish a suspect or close a case when they already know who the suspect is. Today, most retailers are not liable for the use of stolen cards issued by banks and credit card companies. However, retailers today are frequently establishing their own credit institutions and issue their own in-store only credit cards. In-store credit fraud is likely to become an increasing problem for loss prevention investigators in the next decade.

Some of the inherent problems with in-store credit lay in proper associate training. Temporary cards are regularly given out to customers who forget to bring in their own card. Mail fraud may also be used to intercept cards and when they are used it often goes unseen for days if the ringing associate fails to check ID or if the true card holder never calls in a complaint. In the opinion of several experts, many retailers make adding a new name to an existing account far too easy.

Check Fraud

Check fraud is generally accomplished in one of two ways. The first is writing a check that is manufactured to look like a real document, which in fact has no real value or no real bank account to back it up. Typically this is done by suspects who are experienced in the crime of forgery. The second method is check kiting, in which the suspect writes a check for a high dollar purchase and withdraws the funds from their account before the check clears. Check kiting is usually done when suspects establish a fraudulent account under a false name at a banking institution.

Retailers reserve the right to reject checks for whatever reason. Most low-level store employees have no experience in detecting forgery and check kiting, and thus these stores are very prone to be the target of such fraud. Typically when checks are rejected by store management, the suspect raises issue with the manager in question in hopes that they will pass the check. Commonly those who create fraudulent check hire minorities to make purchases at a retailer. When a check is rejected a common scare tactic to get the retailer to accept the check is to claim racial bias.

Sometimes an experienced store investigator or retail security guard can detect obvious forgery by examining the check document or by calling the bank to verify that the account actually exists. When a false check is passed sometimes store investigators or loss prevention officers can salvage it by taking it to the bank before the suspect has the opportunity to withdraw the funds. Typically cheque fraud is done by a large group of non-local individuals who travel from state to state. Typically purchases are made in the late afternoon right as banks are closing. Typically when an account actually exists, fraudulent or not, the suspects are usually able to withdraw the funds before the retail store can detect the fraud.

Safety and Loss Claims

The majority of larger retailers in the past ten years have begun incorporating safety programs into their Loss Prevention programs and their security programs. It is not a well known fact that one or just a few Workman's Compensation or General Loss Claims can cost a single unit store just as much in lost profit annually as shoplifting does. Retailers have are beginning to take more of hardline stance with negligent violations of safety protocol by employees. Often the outcome of investigation of an employee's unsafe actions can result in their termination from employment. Some Loss Prevention programs and security guard programs consider employee safety investigations as one and the same as an internal theft case. In addition increasingly Loss Prevention managers and security service managers are being held accountable for reducing both Workman's Compensation and General Loss Claims as part of their performance review.

Attempts to Professionalize Loss Prevention

A large number of retailers have established centralized command structures in an attempt to control Loss Prevention and retail security much like other departments are in the retail industry. Typically the centralized command structure consists of the typical floor or low level store investigator or retail investigator who is paid as a hourly employee. Next is the Loss Prevention Manager who is in charge of the Loss Prevention department at the store level. Generally the Loss Prevention Manager has been in the industry for significant period of time and is paid a salary. The District Loss Prevention Manager is the next level; this person is in charge of overseeing the operations of several stores within a geographic area. Generally the District Manager has college degree in combination with significant amount of loss prevention experience. Some retails such as the 99 Cent Only Store have hourly district investigators that have the authority to terminate or prosecute any store employee or manager with probable cause.

Several notable problems have plagued the loss prevention service industry over the years. Loss Prevention departments have been accused of such things as favoritism towards store investigators or loss prevention officers and in some cases even an employee who may be dishonest. Some store investigators or retail detectives have been known to make up apprehensions or merchandise recoveries to advance themselves within the field. The most prevalent problem is known as "LP black listing" in which, a particular store investigator would be barred from employment due to tight-knit nature of the loss prevention industry. Recent attempts at professionalism within the industry have gone a long way to eliminate these issues.

Some retailers have gone as far to change the name of their loss prevention departments to "Asset Protection." Asset Protection departments usually include more aspects of the private security service industry by using more visible means of deterrence, such as uniformed door guards, uniformed security guards and uniformed security officers. Some companies believe that the term "Loss Prevention" has stigma attached to it and that Asset Protection sounds more politically correct in modern retail. There has been a recent trend the Loss Prevention industry to move back to less restrictive means of reducing external loss due to the recent increase in shoplifting activity.

Problems with Investigators

For the most part, Loss Prevention Investigators, retail security, retail investigators and store detectives tend to develop one of the three types of personalities towards their work. The personality traits that develop are similar to those of police officers.

The Type A Investigator: Typically this type of investigator has a strong anti-crime personality and experiences early success upon entry into Loss Prevention. However, as apprehensions and merchandise recoveries become less frequent, this personality starts to take risks that others wouldn't. Many of the problems associated with this type of investigator are customer complaints, bad stops, conflict with employees, and sometimes fights with shoplifters.

The Lazy Investigator: This retail investigator usually comes into the industry with no experience and assumes that the job is one that will be easy. However, when the store investigator or the retail store security quickly discovers how difficult loss prevention investigations can be they become frustrated and adopt a lazy, dismissive attitude. This type of store investigator or retail security guard will often miss even the most obvious types of theft.

The Analytical store investigator: This is the least common type of investigators, most store investigators fall into the category of either the Type A or Lazy Store Investigator. Usually the analytical Retail investigator has some educational background and typically gets their career off to a slow start much like the Lazy Retail investigator. However, as the analytical Retail investigator gains experience they usually become very good at what they do. Typically the analytical Retail investigator makes sound rational decisions based on the situation they find themselves in. Typically the as the analytical store investigator proceeds into their career they frequently find their work unchallenging and sometimes unrewarding. In addition, most analytical retail investigators feel that they are underpaid for the work that they do.

A common frustration among loss prevention professionals is the perception of being seen as glorified form of security. Both industries typically do use the same or similar equipment. Loss prevention professionals and store retail security officers see themselves as being proactive, while the security industry is often reactive in nature. The line between security and loss prevention has become increasingly blurry with recent advent of uniform door guards, uniformed security guards, uniformed security officers, etc,… and preventive measures to control safety, shoplifting, and embezzlement.

Another of the larger problems facing loss prevention and retail security today is the wage associated with entry-level retail investigators. Typically retail investigators find themselves in dangerous situations that retailers do not provide sufficient training to deal with. Most store investigators today are paid under ten dollars per hour. Sometimes retail investigators decide that the potential danger associated with the position is not worth it for near minimal wage and thus quit or refuse to make arrests.

Bag Checks and False Arrest

One of the security issues raised more and more often these day is the issue of the legality of bag checks by retailers. The reason for bag checks is simple, its cheap and it works. Most retailers use Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) to determine when a bag check should be conducted. Typically EAS security sensors are placed on high dollar items to deter shoplifting suspects, however items containing large amounts of metal have been known to set off EAS alarm towers.

Legally retailers can only search a customer's bag without probable cause if a person consents to it. Usually a retail security investigator requests the door personnel to search a bag because a sensor set off an alarm tower, or because of what they or other employees have seen in the store. If store personnel use force to stop and detain a customer to look in their bag then it may become a false arrest. In some instances, refusual by a retail customer to consent to bag search will result the retail customer being trespassed or losing their membership from a store.

Felonies, Misdemeanors, and Local Laws

Laws pertaining to shoplifting and retail theft vary from state to state. Generally most state laws include an exclusion of limited liability for retailers to conduct searches of persons they believe to be shoplifting. Simply put retailers are allowed by law to detain and question shoplifting suspects for a reasonable amount of time for the purpose of recovery of merchandise. However, these laws generally do not apply to false arrest and excessive force incidents.

Laws vary from state to state pertaining to when a shoplifter can be stopped and apprehended. For example, in Arizona concealment of merchandise is considered a crime and a shoplifter can be stopped as soon as concealment is established. In states like California however, concealment is not a crime and a suspect must exit the store before an arrest can be made by the store security or the loss prevention officer.

Some state laws can lead to unusual and severe charges being brought against a shoplifter. In Arizona for example a shoplifter can actually be charged with felony third degree burglary. In California a person can be charged with attempted robbery if they use physical force while attempting to shoplift. In some jurisdictions a person convicted of shoplifting multiple times may face a felony sentence following conviction.

Most retailers follow a generalized corporate guideline which serves as a blanket policy for the arrest of shoplifters nationally, although some smaller retailers still decide their own policies on a store to store basis. Generally these policies state that a shoplifter can only be stopped and arrested after they leave the store. Some retailers have been known to use local laws pertaining to shoplifting to their advantage.

Generally in most states shoplifting is only considered a felony when merchandise in excess of $250 is stolen. Some states however, classify shoplifting as felony offense regardless of price. In some states like Wisconsin the dollar amount for shoplifting to be considered a felony is $2,500. Most felony shoplifting suspects however, are only charged with misdemeanors by police to process them through the criminal justice system more efficiently. Many misdemeanor shoplifters are released by loss prevention investigators and retail security after the recovery of merchandise. Generally these shoplifting suspects are not charged with any crime and are trespassed by store management.

One common example of False Arrest is the detainment of an individual based only on speculation of concealment and not an eyewitness to the act. False Arrests can be costly to companies and often result in lawsuits or large monetary settlements. Settlements being preferred by companies wishing to avoid the negative publicity of court cases. Some jurisdictions render partial immunity to merchants and their employees from being liable for a false arrest as long as they have probable cause to detain.

Equipment, Tactics, and Technology

CCTV camera systems

CCTV is an abbreviation for Closed Circuit Television. CCTV camera systems are common to almost all loss prevention departments and retail security departments. The obvious benefits of CCTV camera and cctv surveillance is that the store investigator or the retail security guard can gain a better view of a suspect, record incidents, and not reveal themselves to shoplifting suspects. Some retailers use two-man teams in which one person uses the CCTV camera system to detect shoplifters and a floor man follows the suspect and apprehends them.

CCTV camera systems and surveillance systems have been drastically modernized in the last decade. Most CCTV surveillance systems now record digitally as opposed to using video tapes which were more common in the past. Instead of storing video on a tape many CCTV systems now include a computer server that contain CCTV video for months at a time. One draw back of many of these CCTV DVR digital recorders is their inability to move and view more than one fixed area of the store. However new digital surveillance cameras overlooking registers have greatly increased the number of internal cash thefts being resolved.

In relationship to its effectiveness, the CCTV surveillance has to be considered one of the greatest tools ever used in not just Loss Prevention but the security industry in general. Firms which offer leases on such CCTV surveillance systems have brought the costs down to a point where the franchise owner can consider it economically justifiable. A quality CCTV system including a videotape recorder and monitors (at least one of which is visible to the public) is a proven deterrent with many related benefits. Some related benefits of the CCTV system include protection from employee theft. A well advertised visible CCTV system also acts as a holdup deterrent and when thefts do occur, prosecution is simplified.

Covert CCTV Cameras

Covert CCTV cameras and cctv surveillance systems are fairly recent innovation within the loss prevention industry and security services industry. Usually the CCTV surveillance cameras are small and compact and can be easily moved from area to area. Covert cameras and hidden surveillance cameras can be easily made to look like fixtures or in some cases boxes inside a stockroom. Most covert cameras and hidden cctv cameras are undetectable by the average employee.

Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS)

A RFID tag used for EAS

EAS  (Electronic article surveillance) is a deterrence security system used by retailers to deter shoplifting. EAS involves the use of electronic security towers and electronic security tags. The security tags are placed on high dollar items throughout the store and are disabled at cashier registers by scanning them over a magnetized strip. If the security tag is not disabled it will activate the security “alarm tower”, which is generally located at the entrance to a retail store. EAS is effective in deterring amateur shoplifting and promotes effective security.

 

See the alarm tower and samples of other RFID tags used for EAS blow:

     

 

 

Serial Numbers

Serial numbers are now being commonly placed on high dollar store merchandise. If loss prevention or security departments record the serial numbers they can subsequently track stolen merchandise if it were to be recovered by the police. Recording serial numbers is usually only done by larger retailers due to the fact that they have district store investigators and retail detectives who investigate organized shoplifting over a certain geographic area.

Two-way radio sets

Almost all loss prevention departments and security departments have some form of two-way radio communication. This technology is used by retail investigators mainly to help two-man teams follow a shoplifting suspect in conjunction with the CCTV camera system / surveillance cctv systems or to summon assistance when apprehending a shoplifter.

Exception Reports

Exception reports are compiled on an annual basis into a report. Usually the reports are received monthly or bi-weekly. The reports include information on cash audit overs and shorts, no-sales, flagged returns, employees ringing themselves up, fake employee numbers used to avoid commission docking, and merchandise voids. Exception reports have dramatically reduced the amount of time an investigator needs to spend to detect a possible sign of employee embezzlement.

[edit]

Ink Tags

Ink tags have been around for several decades and are most commonly used by clothing retailers. The ink tags require special equipment to remove the tags from the clothing. When the tags are forcibly removed, one or two glass vials containing permanent ink will break, causing it to spill over the clothing, effectively destroying it. Ink tags fall into the loss prevention category called benefit denial. As the name suggests an ink tag denies the shoplifter any benefit for his or her efforts. Despite this, shoplifters have found ways around them, such as duct-taping the holes through which the ink comes out and then removing the tag with pliers, resulting in little-to-no damage of the merchandise.

Dual Resonator EAS Stickers

Dual Resonator EAS stickers are usually placed on small items such as shaving razors and cold medicines. These items are notable in that they are popular items to sell at swap meets. Dual Resonator EAS stickers are printed on a thin piece of paper and are difficult to remove. Usually the sticker includes a retailers company logo and serves as an indication to would be buyers that the merchandise has been stolen.

Dummy Dome cameras

Dummy domes have become prevalent in all forms of retail loss prevention. Dummy domes do not contain cctv surveillance cameras, although they are identical to appearance of domes that do contain cctv cameras. Dummy domes can be stratigically placed to herd shoplifters into a particular location or be used as a deterrent to shoplifting.

Ceiling Mirrors

Ceiling mirrors were once a staple of the loss prevention industry. Now ceiling mirrors for the most part have be relegated to convenience stores. Ceiling mirrors allow loss prevention investigators and retail security to watch activity in a high theft area without being seen. Some loss prevention and retail security departments have been known to use mirrors to increase the range of their cctv camera systems.

Refund Checks

Refund checks are aimed at possible fraudulent and high risk refunds. The customer is told they will receive a check in the mail instead of receiving cash or store credit during the actual return. This tactic is typically employed in instances where a customer does not have a receipt or there is prior knowledge that the return may be questionable. Generally a loss prevention manager or operations manager will have to approve the release of a refund check. This tactic works well because fraudulent refunders generally will not call the store to complain when they do not receive their check in the mail.

Bottom of Basket

Bottom of Basket Loss (BOB), occurs when an item is placed on the lower tray of a shopping cart and the cashier forgets to check the lower tray for items resulting in the item not being paid for. What makes this form of shrink unique is that it often happens both intentionally and unintentionally on behalf of the customer. All estimates for the dollar amount lost in this manner are over $2 billion US per year in North America alone, or $7 per lane per day. There are a few cctv security products on the market to help prevent this loss. The most common are security mirrors mounted across the checkout lane, some stores have employed security camera systems pointed at the lower tray with monitors for each cashier. Neither of these security products or security systems work effectively because the problem is the inattentive cashier and not so much visibility. A newer type of security system has been released which actively monitors the checkout lane and alerts when an item is detected on the lower tray of the shopping cart. One such security system is named HIDEAlert which uses IR security sensors to detect the shape of a shopping cart, then scans the lower tray for items. The alarm will trigger when anything is on the lower tray including products, bags, or coats, but uses technology to distinguish the difference between a shopping cart and a person or bag passing through the lane in order to accurately activate and begin scanning for items. Some security systems have more false alarms than others, for instance HIDEAlert can determine if an object is actually on the cart and not beside the cart or in the next lane over, this among other technologies help to eliminate false alarms.

Consent Searches

Consent searches are a tactic that is widely used in law enforcement and is still present in Loss Prevention and retail security today. By asking a customer to consent to a search of their belongings such as shopping bags and receipts any illegal search or seizure requirements can be circumvented. Consent searches in some instances can be used to build on previously existing facts to establish the probable cause necessary to detain a shoplifter. The extreme end of establishing probable cause through a consent search has been all eliminated except with a few smaller companies who still utilize it.

In modern Loss Prevention consent searches and retail security consent searches are a tactic that is most expansively used today by warehouse retailers. In using this tactic warehouse retailers have made consent searches of their customer's purchases a part of the membership agreement. Although a customer may refuse to consent to a search of their purchase from a legal standpoint, the warehouse retailer does retain the right as a private business entity to strip the customer of their membership or issue a verbal trespass. Warehouse retailers have been able to utilize security consent searches to lower their prices on goods and reduce external shrinkage at the same time.

Viewing Towers

Although the necessity of viewing towers has been eliminated to large extent by CCTV camera systems and cctv surveillance systems they still exist today. A tower is usually a centrally located observation platform generally found in a location raised above the sales floor. A retail investigator or store retail security guard can spend time in the tower with searching for shoplifters or investigating employees much in the same manner with CCTV.

Integrity Shops

A common example of an integrity shop is marking a large denomination bill such as a $100 dollar and placing it in a cashier's drawer. The goal is to see if the bill disappears from the drawer or doesn't make it to its appropriate location such as a cash office. The information gained from an integrity shop can be used to initiate retail investigations or conduct interviews that could possibly reveal dishonst activity or outright theft.

For more information on our security guard services or security officers, CCTV video surveillance or access control systems, call our security sales department today, for a FREE on-site Security guard service Consultation, please contact us or call Toll Free: (800) 743-2313

Your security guard service and detective service needs is our business!

 

ABOUT OUR SECURITY GUARD AGENCY

Our Security & Detective Agency is the premier source for professional private investigator services, security guard services, security guard officers, video surveillance services , patrol services , body guard services , GPS Vehicle Trackers , CCTV security systems and  CCTV video surveillance services.

 Contact us today and rest assured, that our security guard company is the best choice for all your security guard services and body guard service needs.